Need a stiffer rear spring.
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Need a stiffer rear spring.
Current Rear spring is a VB&P 360. I am looking for something much stiffer for track days. Van steel shows a 420# but details show it as 400#, anyone have a custom spring made to specs. Also I do not want a high arc spring either.
#2
Le Mans Master
I have a VB&P 360 that was cut down at the factory. It was marked by VB&P as 385. Does that count as a custom spring?
I'd give Van Steel a call and see what they say. Perhaps 420 is 420. Perhaps it's 400, but they can shorten it an inch or two to get the spring rate up higher.
I'd give Van Steel a call and see what they say. Perhaps 420 is 420. Perhaps it's 400, but they can shorten it an inch or two to get the spring rate up higher.
#3
Team Owner
Is VB&P currently closed? When I was stuffing in my 4.11 a few weeks ago I attempted to call them two different days and was just on hold. they made my custom 520# I ask for a 500#, but after they made it and tested it was 520#.
But anyway I tried a 420# and my rear tires were grinding on my new fender flares just out doing some practice laps. The rear spring was compressing about 2 inches from the static ride height. With for corner scales and I'll round off the rear tire weights. Lets for math purposes call them 840 pounds on each rear tire. go into the apex of the turn and hit the rumble strip. Instantly you end up with 1680 pounds on the outside tire. My wimpy 420# compressed 2 more inches and the slicks were right into the flare lips. to make it through the day I had to crank up the end bolts to lift the rear of my car.
Here are the 520# with very little arch and the tires hanging off the ground.
But anyway I tried a 420# and my rear tires were grinding on my new fender flares just out doing some practice laps. The rear spring was compressing about 2 inches from the static ride height. With for corner scales and I'll round off the rear tire weights. Lets for math purposes call them 840 pounds on each rear tire. go into the apex of the turn and hit the rumble strip. Instantly you end up with 1680 pounds on the outside tire. My wimpy 420# compressed 2 more inches and the slicks were right into the flare lips. to make it through the day I had to crank up the end bolts to lift the rear of my car.
Here are the 520# with very little arch and the tires hanging off the ground.
The following users liked this post:
cagotzmann (06-24-2018)
#4
Race Director
I have a Guldstrand 5-leaf Daytona style rear (fronts available too), appears 1" shorter than a stocker, if you or anyone else is interested send a PM.
#5
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
I have a VB&P 360 that was cut down at the factory. It was marked by VB&P as 385. Does that count as a custom spring?
I'd give Van Steel a call and see what they say. Perhaps 420 is 420. Perhaps it's 400, but they can shorten it an inch or two to get the spring rate up higher.
I'd give Van Steel a call and see what they say. Perhaps 420 is 420. Perhaps it's 400, but they can shorten it an inch or two to get the spring rate up higher.
Van Steel said there springs are made by the same factory GM uses on the current chev cars (Corvette ? ). They are also 6-8 weeks out on delivery if the spring is not in inventory,
#6
Drifting
Member Since: Aug 2015
Location: NSW, Australia
Posts: 1,939
Received 472 Likes
on
344 Posts
C3 of Year Finalist (track prepared) 2019
Looks like VB&P are not in a good place based on the conversation on various forums, and the website has been down a while. Shame, as I wanted to order one of their dual mount rear springs with a stiffer spring. Let us know what you end up going with.
#7
I was considering in the future to get 360 rear spring is it grate as a street ride is there any softer?
. I just bought for the front QA1 450 adjustable and rear Bilstein HD.
. I just bought for the front QA1 450 adjustable and rear Bilstein HD.
#8
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Is VB&P currently closed? When I was stuffing in my 4.11 a few weeks ago I attempted to call them two different days and was just on hold. they made my custom 520# I ask for a 500#, but after they made it and tested it was 520#.
But anyway I tried a 420# and my rear tires were grinding on my new fender flares just out doing some practice laps. The rear spring was compressing about 2 inches from the static ride height. With for corner scales and I'll round off the rear tire weights. Lets for math purposes call them 840 pounds on each rear tire. go into the apex of the turn and hit the rumble strip. Instantly you end up with 1680 pounds on the outside tire. My wimpy 420# compressed 2 more inches and the slicks were right into the flare lips. to make it through the day I had to crank up the end bolts to lift the rear of my car.
Here are the 520# with very little arch and the tires hanging off the ground.
But anyway I tried a 420# and my rear tires were grinding on my new fender flares just out doing some practice laps. The rear spring was compressing about 2 inches from the static ride height. With for corner scales and I'll round off the rear tire weights. Lets for math purposes call them 840 pounds on each rear tire. go into the apex of the turn and hit the rumble strip. Instantly you end up with 1680 pounds on the outside tire. My wimpy 420# compressed 2 more inches and the slicks were right into the flare lips. to make it through the day I had to crank up the end bolts to lift the rear of my car.
Here are the 520# with very little arch and the tires hanging off the ground.
#9
Team Owner
Originally I was into drag racing my vette . 79 L-82 with a progression of motors and transmissions. I ended up with too much rear squat. We didn't have the internet with all the options back then. So I went to a steel spring shop and I had them re-arch my steel spring ( like very little arch) and add a leaf to make it very stiff. It was up around 500#
I did lots of math to figure out weight x-fer…………… The other option is rear spring coil overs and then you can dial in anything. Coil over springs are only 80-100 bucks a pair. You can buy them in 50# increments
I did lots of math to figure out weight x-fer…………… The other option is rear spring coil overs and then you can dial in anything. Coil over springs are only 80-100 bucks a pair. You can buy them in 50# increments
#10
Tech Contributor
We never run glass springs. We used Tom's steel springs, made by Deaver in CA. We had one made for this car to solve the squatting issue they have. I may still have the build spec's but I would have to go through the build file. This is real 1480 12 bolt with Tom complete IRS setup, no smoke and mirrors, no cut corners inside, takes the abuse.
#11
Le Mans Master
I can understand a steel spring for drag racing applications but do not think that a steel spring is ideal for road racing where balance and spring reaction time is much more important. I would be interested in hearing from Gkull and cagotzmann about your experiences with a steel spring versus composite for road racing?
#12
Tech Contributor
Hi Jeff
You may be right, this car is not a road course car, strictly setup for straight high 10 -11 sec joy rides- yet fully streetable. My ride is strictly a driver but the steel spring works well for that too. You going to the Vette Show at Moroso on Sunday? I will have a table setup with demo's of diff's, boxes, and arms.
You may be right, this car is not a road course car, strictly setup for straight high 10 -11 sec joy rides- yet fully streetable. My ride is strictly a driver but the steel spring works well for that too. You going to the Vette Show at Moroso on Sunday? I will have a table setup with demo's of diff's, boxes, and arms.
#13
Race Director
#14
Le Mans Master
Hi Jeff
You may be right, this car is not a road course car, strictly setup for straight high 10 -11 sec joy rides- yet fully streetable. My ride is strictly a driver but the steel spring works well for that too. You going to the Vette Show at Moroso on Sunday? I will have a table setup with demo's of diff's, boxes, and arms.
You may be right, this car is not a road course car, strictly setup for straight high 10 -11 sec joy rides- yet fully streetable. My ride is strictly a driver but the steel spring works well for that too. You going to the Vette Show at Moroso on Sunday? I will have a table setup with demo's of diff's, boxes, and arms.
#16
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Originally I was into drag racing my vette . 79 L-82 with a progression of motors and transmissions. I ended up with too much rear squat. We didn't have the internet with all the options back then. So I went to a steel spring shop and I had them re-arch my steel spring ( like very little arch) and add a leaf to make it very stiff. It was up around 500#
I did lots of math to figure out weight x-fer…………… The other option is rear spring coil overs and then you can dial in anything. Coil over springs are only 80-100 bucks a pair. You can buy them in 50# increments
I did lots of math to figure out weight x-fer…………… The other option is rear spring coil overs and then you can dial in anything. Coil over springs are only 80-100 bucks a pair. You can buy them in 50# increments
#17
Team Owner
I can understand a steel spring for drag racing applications but do not think that a steel spring is ideal for road racing where balance and spring reaction time is much more important. I would be interested in hearing from Gkull and cagotzmann about your experiences with a steel spring versus composite for road racing?
The following users liked this post:
jb78L-82 (07-06-2018)
#19
Race Director
I was in 36 vintage races from 96-06, won six of them overall in group-6 at Road America while running a fast lap of 2:25.0, on track time is limited why bother wasting it testing?
The following users liked this post:
jb78L-82 (07-06-2018)
#20
Team Owner